Rex Ryan: Cowboys’ DC Salary Insufficient
Not exactly known for keeping his opinions to himself, Rex Ryan has taken aim at the Cowboys’ defensive performance. More specifically, the longtime ESPN analyst points to the Cowboys making him an offer to be their defensive coordinator this offseason.
Ryan interviewed for the job that went to Mike Zimmer, but the former Jets coach — out of the NFL since his 2016 ouster as Bills HC — made comments that seem to indicate he was offered the position. The brash figure said this gig’s salary did not meet his demands.
“I could’ve fixed [the Cowboys’ defense] in a New York minute,” Ryan said during an appearance on ESPN’s DiPietro & Rothenberg Show (h/t USA Today). “But, that being said, they couldn’t pony up the money, or I would’ve been there.”
Seeking a defensive coordinator with HC experience — which Dan Quinn had provided for three seasons — Jerry Jones interviewed both Ryan and Ron Rivera but went with Zimmer, who had been a Cowboys assistant for 13 years (from 1994-2006). Zimmer was reported to have landed the job, but Ryan had insisted after that assertion no final decision had been made. Soon after, however, Zimmer was officially hired.
Ryan, 61, has not been involved in many coaching searches since the Bills fired him late in his second season. He did interview for the Broncos’ DC post in 2023. Months later, he took shots at the coach Sean Payton did hire — Vance Joseph — after Denver’s defense started slowly last season. Considering Zimmer is also not exactly shy about voicing his opinions, something which became clearer after some recent comments about his Minnesota tenure, this might generate an interesting response, as Ryan criticized Dallas’ defense.
“You brought in a guy that was 29th in the league his last two years at Minnesota, the enthusiasm he brings when he left, that’s the guy that’s gonna inspire you?” Ryan said. “This can go really bad for Dallas.”
Considering Ryan’s reputation, it probably should not be considered certain that Zimmer was the second choice for the job he currently holds. But the Cowboys were impressed with Ryan during his interview. Ryan’s insistence no decision had been made could point to negotiations continuing between he and the team, but Zimmer also carries more experience — both in Dallas and on the HC/DC tier — compared to Ryan. Zimmer, who was also connected to a Broncos job in 2023, had been out of the NFL for two seasons. He did receive other offers to return, however. Ryan being away for the past seven years makes it harder to envision a return commencing.
The Cowboys sit 30th in scoring defense, 28th in yardage and 28th in DVOA. Dallas, which added both edge defenders and D-tackles late in the offseason, ranks last against the run. With Mike McCarthy a rare lame duck, no Cowboys coach should feel especially safe, but he, Zimmer and Co. will attempt to rebound after two concerning showings.
Owners Approving Tom Brady Raiders Stake Would End Any Unretirement Bid
Tom Brady‘s loose Raiders affiliation has already forced the NFL to place significant restrictions on his broadcasting career, preventing him from entering team facilities ahead of covering games for FOX. Brady also cannot take part in pregame meetings with players, representing a highly unusual arrangement for an announcer. Another notable wrinkle will come to pass if the all-time QB great is finally approved as a Raiders part-owner.
Should owners approve Brady’s Raiders ownership stake, it will officially put an end to a second unretirement. Brady, who mentioned the prospect of unretiring once again this offseason, would be prohibited from following through with any plan if he becomes a part-owner for the Las Vegas franchise, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes.
This summer, Brady said he was not opposed to making an in-season return. This was interesting since the 23-year veteran had closed the door on a comeback in 2023, shortly after purchasing a stake in the Raiders. This included rebuffing his hometown 49ers, who sought to have him start and mentor Brock Purdy last year.
NFL owners had cited issues with Brady’s stake price and conflict of interest with his broadcasting gig, Those matters have since been resolved, but owners did not approve Brady’s stake at their most recent meetings, continuing a trend with the matter not coming up. Attending a Raiders practice late in the 2023 season even tripped alarms for owners.
Momentum does appear to be building toward Brady finally becoming a part-owner in December, but if the 47-year-old is voted in, he will officially bid farewell to a second unretirement. While Brady famously attempted to become a player/owner for the Dolphins during his first retirement in 2022, leading to a stiff penalty for that organization, a 2023 rule change would prohibit him from playing for the Raiders while owning a piece of the franchise.
Previously, Brady could have been a player/owner in Vegas had 24 owners approved it. Now, Jones writes no such vote would take place. Shortly after MLS club Inter Miami added Lionel Messi as a player while giving the soccer legend equity in the franchise, the NFL passed a rule nixing teams from doing the same. Owners would have been unlikely to approve Brady as a player/owner in Miami, but the matter was on the table. Now, Brady would need to decide — if an opportunity arose for him to leave the broadcast booth and take part in this season. He has certainly been given plenty of time on this front, as the NFL’s finance committee has tabled this matter since Brady agreed to buy a piece of the Raiders in May 2023.
Brady retired in both February 2022 and February 2023, famously backtracking on the first exit to play the age-45 season he had long sought to do. Stretching the boundaries of the quarterback position in terms of accomplishments and longevity, Brady is widely considered to have put together the greatest career in NFL history. His 2022 season brought a significant step back from a 2021 campaign for which the first-ballot Hall of Famer-to-be earned second-team All-Pro accolades. But Brady remains on the NFL periphery in terms of another comeback. His Raiders agreement seemingly puts the kibosh on the matter, though the aspiring owner — one whose planned passive role has caused several issues — may be months away from stepping into those ranks.
OL Rumors: Patriots, Moses, Cards, 49ers
The Patriots entered training camp with significant questions along their offensive line; those have not been answered, as the team continues to delay Drake Maye‘s debut. This could set up a historically rare succession at the game’s highest-profile O-line position. The Pats may be on the verge of starting a fourth left tackle in four games to open the season. Demontrey Jacobs, who went to camp with the Broncos before becoming a Patriots waiver claim, worked at LT alongside the other first-string blockers during the parts of Wednesday and Thursday’s practices open to media, the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed notes.
Injuries and Chukwuma Okorafor leaving the team put the Pats in this bind. They have used Okorafor, Vederian Lowe and rookie third-rounder Caedan Wallace at LT over the first three weeks. Lowe and Wallace injuries brought Jacobs into the fray against the Jets. Part of Denver’s 2023 UDFA class, Jacobs had not played in a regular-season game until last week. Wallace has gotten in two limited practices, potentially allowing the Pats to prevent this 4-for-4 turnstyle on Jacoby Brissett‘s blind side, but Lowe remains out ahead of a 49ers matchup.
Here is the latest from the O-line ranks:
- Remaining in the AFC East, the Jets intend to go week to week with their right tackle. Morgan Moses sustained an MCL sprain and bone bruise and will miss a few weeks, but Robert Saleh confirmed the Jets will not park their RT starter on IR. Moses has been a dependable player throughout his career, missing only three games over the past 10 seasons. It will be worth wondering if the veteran reacquires his job upon returning, as the Jets will throw first-round pick Olu Fashanu into action. Fashanu had been drafted to initially provide insurance for Moses and fellow 33-year-old blocker Tyron Smith, before moving into a long-term starting role. Will the Penn State product play well enough to avoid being sent back to the bench?
- The Cardinals are using a backup right tackle as well, plugging in Kelvin Beachum after Jonah Williams‘ Week 1 injury. Williams is on IR due to a knee injury, and Beachum missed Week 3 with a hamstring malady. Formerly a long-term starter for the Steelers, Jets and Cardinals, Beachum returned to practice but is in his age-35 season. The Cardinals worked out another 30-something tackle this week, bringing in Cameron Erving, per Cards Wire’s Howard Balzer. The Texans had cut the former first-round pick from their practice squad injured list recently, but the nine-year vet does not look to have needed much time to recover. The Cardinals started former seventh-round pick Jackson Barton in Beachum’s place in Week 3.
- GM Monti Ossenfort had said a D.J. Humphries reunion could commence down the road, despite the second-year Cardinals regime cutting the longtime left tackle early this offseason. But the former first-round pick is not ready to return from injury just yet. He is still potentially several weeks away from medical clearance, Balzer adds. Humphries, 30, started eight seasons for the Cardinals — seven at left tackle, one at right tackle — went down during the team’s Week 17 win over the Eagles.
- Beaten out for the 49ers‘ right guard job after seeing extensive time there from 2022-23, Spencer Burford is seeing some reps at a new position. The 49ers are trying the third-year blocker at tackle, per The Athletic’s Matt Barrows. This is due to San Francisco having just three tackles — Trent Williams, Colton McKivitz, Jaylon Moore — on their 53-man roster, with one of those (Williams) being 36. It is interesting this effort is only commencing now, as Williams’ holdout lasted more than a month. Burford, who now backs up third-round rookie Dominick Puni, played guard and tackle at Texas-San Antonio.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/26/24
Here are Thursday’s practice squad moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Ahmarean Brown
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DL Travis Bell
- Placed on practice squad injured list: DL Sam Roberts
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LB Abraham Beauplan
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: TE Messiah Swinson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: TE Jody Fortson, RB Keaontay Ingram
- Placed on practice squad injured list: TE Baylor Cupp
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: OL Braeden Daniels
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DT Neil Farrell
Fortson will make his way back to Missouri, doing so after the Dolphins released him in August. Fortson combined to catch 14 passes for 155 yards and four touchdowns during the 2021 and ’22 Chiefs seasons, but he spent the 2023 campaign on IR. An effort to latch on in Miami did not pan out, but the Chiefs have the reserve tight end back as insurance. Fortson, 28, initially caught on with the Chiefs as a 2019 UDFA.
Ingram will fill the same purpose, switching spots with Kareem Hunt, whom the Chiefs bumped up to their 53-man roster this week. Waiving Ingram to make room for the Hunt reunion, Kansas City circled back to the former Arizona draftee. Ingram joins UDFA Emani Bailey as RBs on the Chiefs’ P-squad.
49ers Eyeing Midseason Return For LB Dre Greenlaw
While the 49ers appear in slightly better shape compared to their injury-marred 2020 season, the team has seen its star-stacked roster run into significant health trouble at an early juncture. Injuries have played a major role in the defending NFC champions’ 1-2 record.
Some of the pieces will return, though Javon Hargrave is not expected to and Christian McCaffrey‘s murky status overshadows the other issues at this point. But Deebo Samuel and George Kittle are practicing again. This comes after Talanoa Hufanga made his season debut against the Rams. The other key San Francisco starter to suffer a late-season injury last year does not appear to be expected to miss the bulk of this campaign, either.
San Francisco is expecting Dre Greenlaw to make a midseason return, according to The Athletic’s Matt Barrows (subscription required). Going down with a historically ill-timed Achilles tear, Greenlaw can be activated from the PUP list beginning in Week 5. That appears ambitious for a player who went down early in Super Bowl LVIII, but the 49ers do not seem likely to wait too much longer for the three-down linebacker to re-emerge.
The team reached multiple contingency plans to cover for Greenlaw’s rehab timetable, agreeing to terms with Eric Kendricks and then De’Vondre Campbell. Kendricks backtracked on his 49ers pledge due to the Cowboys offering him more playing time compared to a 49ers role that would have seen him drift to a part-time performer once Greenlaw recovered. The team then gave Campbell a one-year, $5MM deal to be Fred Warner‘s stopgap sidekick. The Packers had cut Campbell after three seasons.
Campbell committed a costly pass interference penalty late in the Rams’ comeback win Sunday. It is too early for true assessments to be made, but Pro Football Focus ranks Kendricks 21st among off-ball ‘backers while slotting Campbell 54th. Campbell has played 92% of San Francisco’s defensive snaps, while nominal starter/part-time player Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles has logged a 26% snap rate. Greenlaw’s return stands to reduce Campbell’s workload to Flannigan-Fowles’ level or close to it.
Suffering the Achilles tear while trotting onto the field in the first half, Greenlaw had experienced pain in that area in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. This bit the 49ers at the worst possible time, as Travis Kelce took advantage of the suddenly depleted LB corps. Greenlaw was immediately deemed out of the picture for the season’s first four weeks, with the PUP list becoming inevitable due to mid-February surgery. No timetable emerged after that designation became official, with this midseason assessment being the closest thing to it. It is worth wondering if the 49ers will factor their Week 9 bye into this equation, though some big games — against the Seahawks and Chiefs — loom in Weeks 6 and 7.
Greenlaw, 27, is signed to a two-year, $16.4MM deal. The sixth-year veteran has a chance at a big payday come 2025, though he will need to return to his pre-tear form. Ex-teammate Azeez Al-Shaair‘s three-year, $34MM Texans deal could represent a viable target. With McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk extended this offseason and a Brock Purdy payday looming, the 49ers will have difficult decisions to make on defense. Greenlaw, Hufanga and cornerbacks Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir are unsigned for 2025. For now, however, this group remains intact to help the 49ers rebound after a slow start. This cadre is poised to include Greenlaw soon.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/26/24
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed from practice squad: OL Will Clapp
- Placed on IR: OL Tylan Grable
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: DE Carl Lawson, CB Amani Oruwariye
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed from practice squad: S Tony Jefferson
New York Giants
- Elevated: FB Jakob Johnson, CB Duke Shelley
Without Adoree’ Jackson and Dru Phillips, the Giants will move Shelley up to their gameday roster. Shelley has not played since last season, attending training camp with the Vikings but landing with the Giants shortly after not making Minnesota’s 53-man roster.
Jefferson played in one game this season as a gameday elevation, but this is his first time on a 53-man roster since the 2022 season. Jefferson had retired, spending the 2023 season as a Ravens scouting intern. At 32, he returned to play under Jim Harbaugh. The Chargers will be without Derwin James against the Chiefs due to a one-game suspension, with Jefferson set to serve as a depth piece in Week 4.
Doug Pederson Moving Toward Hot Seat?
Shad Khan addressed Doug Pederson‘s potential hot-seat status in a hypothetical manner this offseason. After an 0-3 start, the former Super Bowl-winning HC is losing the benefit of the doubt. As the Jaguars head toward their London stretch, Pederson may soon be coaching for his job.
Hired after Khan’s embarrassing Urban Meyer decision, Pederson had restored credibility to a downtrodden franchise by producing an AFC South title in 2022. Last season brought a disappointing finish, but the team doubled down on its core this offseason — while supplementing it via free agency — by authorizing the three most lucrative extensions (for Trevor Lawrence, Josh Hines-Allen and Tyson Campbell) in franchise history. A miserable Monday outing in Buffalo left Pederson’s team searching for answers, and Khan may be growing restless.
Pederson’s status will be one to monitor in the coming weeks, with SI.com’s Albert Breer indicating during a Dan Patrick Show appearance a lot is probably at stake for big names in this organization over the next few weeks. Adding to what may soon become a clear status, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano labels Pederson a candidate for an in-season firing if the team cannot rebound quickly.
While fourth-year GM Trent Baalke‘s status should be one to monitor here as well, it appears he is safer than Pederson presently. Despite Pederson having coached the Jags to back-to-back winning seasons — the franchise’s first such instance since the 2004-05 seasons — Khan publicly labeled this the most talented roster in Jaguars history. Although that seems a bit extreme considering Jacksonville’s 1999 team went 14-2 and featured seven Pro Bowlers (including Hall of Famer Tony Boselli), Khan’s stance nevertheless turns up the head for his current HC.
After a promising close to the 2022 season and an 8-3 start last year, the Jags are 1-8. The win came in a game Lawrence missed due to injury. Lawrence dealt with several injuries last season, helping explain his tailspin. But the former No. 1 overall pick is healthy now. He has completed just 52.8% of his passes (at 6.3 yards per attempt) while ranking 25th in QBR. Injuries at other spots in Jacksonville’s lineup, particularly on defense, are hurting the team. But Lawrence’s struggles bring bigger-picture questions, considering the team recently matched Joe Burrow‘s then-record-setting AAV ($55MM) to extend him.
Neither Lawrence nor Jordan Love produced enough to earn extensions at that rate, but this is how the QB market functions right now. With the Packers paying for future performance, the Jags are eyeing a leap from the former Clemson prodigy. With guarantees stretching into 2027, the team has seen its centerpiece player submit a concerning start. Pederson and/or OC Press Taylor taking the fall for this should probably be considered in play, with the Jags’ London stretch (Weeks 6 and 7) — or maybe even the two upcoming games — potentially doubling as the do-or-die window.
The England games profile as a big spot for the Khan-led team, since it plays two games overseas — as Khan also owns a Premier League franchise (Fulham FC). The Jags heading to Europe at 0-5 or 1-4 will test the owner’s patience, and he has fired coaches in-season twice in the past decade. In addition’s to Khan canning Meyer during his disastrous season in charge, he axed Gus Bradley during a historically unsuccessful tenure. How Jags ownership went about replacing Bradley suddenly seems relevant.
When the Jags removed Doug Marrone’s interim tag in 2017, Breer notes that decision came largely on the recommendation of Bill Belichick. The legendary coach continues to have a strong relationship with Jags chief football strategy officer Tony Khan (Shad’s son), Breer adds. Dot connecting would point to the Jags considering the six-time Super Bowl-winning HC-turned-omnipresent media figure in 2025, if Pederson cannot turn this operation around.
Belichick’s age will be an issue for teams, as no franchise has hired a head coach older than 66. Belichick would be 73 before Week 1 of the 2025 season, but he obviously brings credentials that will lap everyone else on next year’s HC carousel. That did not matter much this year, as six of the seven non-Patriots HC-seeking teams ignored him, but Jacksonville would be an interesting spot for the coach Pederson beat in Super Bowl LII. Thus far, Belichick had only been closely tied to NFC East destinations. Jacksonville, which did not join Dallas and Philly in considering firing its current HC after last season, may also loom as a legitimate possibility.
As for Pederson, he is 1-for-8 in 10-win seasons; the exception — the Eagles’ dominant 2017 squad — has carried the former Andy Reid staffer. Carson Wentz also rose to an MVP frontrunner before declining over the course of Pederson’s tenure, and Taylor loomed as a factor in the HC’s Eagles ouster. Philadelphia brass was uninspired by Pederson’s aim of promoting Taylor to OC after the 2020 season, and Pederson then brought one of his Philly right-hand men with him as OC in 2022. Taylor received the play-calling reins on a full-time basis in 2023.
The Jags kept their play-calling plans close to the vest this offseason, but Khan seemed to voice a preference for Pederson taking back control. Taylor still plays a key role in play-calling, but at this point, it would be rather odd if Pederson — who called plays throughout his Eagles tenure and served as the Jags’ primary conductor during the 2022 divisional-round season — did not take the lead here.
This regime is running out of time. Even though the Jags have been one of the NFL’s worst franchises under Khan ahead of Pederson at least moving it to a mid-pack operation, it would not be difficult to see another reboot — albeit around some pricey contracts — come to pass if Lawrence and Co. cannot recover soon.
Browns Unlikely To Bench Deshaun Watson
Bad quarterback investments have been frequent over the past few years. With due respect to the ill-fated moves outside Ohio, the Browns are on their own tier regarding a potential misstep due to the contract and trade compensation required to bring Deshaun Watson to town. Fifteen starts in across three seasons, this acquisition has not come close to producing what Cleveland sought.
The Browns have seen glimmers of hope from their high-priced passer, but he has wildly underperformed based on expectations. Watson, the NFL’s passing leader during his final active season in Houston and a three-time Pro Bowler who drew historic trade offers from at least three other teams in 2022, ranks ahead of only Bryce Young in QBR this season. At 29, the embattled quarterback has not responded well at a career crossroads.
It also may not exactly be accurate to label the former Pro Bowler as being at a crossroad point, as his 2025 and ’26 seasons — on a $230MM contract — are fully guaranteed. The Browns are dealing with the kind of trouble NBA and MLB teams run into upon authorizing a bad long-term contract, as the deals are almost always fully guaranteed in those leagues. Guardrails are in place in the NFL to protect teams against this type of situation unfolding. Owners already veered away from this contract structure — based on the QB deals finalized since Watson’s March 2022 windfall — and based on the Browns’ return on investment, another big-ticket fully guaranteed accord is highly unlikely to commence anytime soon.
A murky path to the Browns voiding Watson’s guarantees may exist if the QB is suspended in connection with the latest sexual assault allegation to emerge, but the team is still committed to making this fit work on the field. A quick hook involving the eighth-year passer is unlikely to commence due to the investment the Browns made, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. Jameis Winston sits as the Browns’ backup, with the team having passed — to the surprise of some — on re-signing Joe Flacco, who is now the Colts’ backup.
Watson showed concerning form following his 2022 suspension, but that was effectively written off due to the lengthy midcareer layoff his off-field trouble and 2021 trade request brought. Last season featured the Browns go 5-1 in Watson’s starts, offering some hope the team could salvage this widely criticized acquisition. The team fired its OC and QBs coach (Alex Van Pelt, T.C. McCartney) despite Flacco’s shocking run to Comeback Player of the Year honors in Kevin Stefanski‘s system. Themed around wanting an offense more in line with Watson’s skillset, the Browns retooled under their newly extended HC.
Ken Dorsey‘s arrival has not brought improved play. And curiosity about how long the Browns want to keep going here has understandably become part of this equation. While Watson has not played with Nick Chubb since September 2023 and has not enjoyed a healthy O-line this season — as evidenced by the Giants’ eight-sack spree in Week 3 — his issues in Stefanski’s offense have existed since his 2022 debut.
Although a recent rumor pointed to the Browns bracing for another Watson ban, no present path to the team escaping the guarantees exists. The team, which also extended GM Andrew Berry this offseason despite the Watson contract occurring on his watch, is on the hook for $92MM in guaranteed salary from 2025-26.
The Browns have restructured Watson’s contract twice, inflating the dead money that would come in the event of a separation before 2027. It would cost them an astonishing $172MM in dead money to part ways with the struggling QB in 2025. That would introduce more new territory for dead money catastrophes. The Broncos’ $83MM-plus dead cap hit from Russell Wilson‘s contract already more than doubled the previous record.
We are not there yet, but barring a dramatic uptick from a quarterback who returned from a shoulder fracture, the Browns are stuck. Watson’s play could sink an otherwise well-built roster, one featuring players from two playoff teams since 2020.
Winston has 80 career starts on his resume, though he was erratic in Tampa and then benched in New Orleans for Andy Dalton early in the 2022 season. For now, the former No. 1 overall pick would only see time if another Watson injury occurs. Though, the on-field component of the Browns’ borderline disastrous QB situation — as more off-field drama plays out — certainly bears monitoring given the early-season results.
Saints Work Out Brian Allen, Add Chris Reed; Team Signs Shane Lemieux From Practice Squad
Following a 2-0 start featuring a suddenly explosive offense and their veteran-laden defense performing well, the Saints lost in Week 3 and came out of it worse for wear. Plenty of questions now face New Orleans, which was missing several key contributors at practice Wednesday.
Among them, the last two members of the team’s Drew Brees offensive lines. Erik McCoy is heading to IR, and right guard Cesar Ruiz is battling both knee and ankle injuries. Coming into the season with issues up front, New Orleans now has injury hurdles to negotiate early. As a result, reinforcements are coming.
One of them will move up from the practice squad, with another coming from outside the organization. Shane Lemieux is being signed to the 53-man roster from the practice squad, per ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell, while NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill indicates Chris Reed is joining team’s P-squad.
While Reed comes to New Orleans from Minnesota, his Vikings tenure did not overlap with new OC Klint Kubiak‘s. Reed spent the previous two seasons in Minnesota, after Kubiak had moved on, and worked as a Vikings backup. Reed, who worked as a Panthers regular starter in 2020 and a Colts fill-in starter in 2021, will mix in at a reeling position group.
Oli Udoh, who started 16 games at guard for the Vikings during Kubiak’s 2021 season as OC, moved into the lineup once McCoy went down against the Eagles. Udoh kicked Lucas Patrick from left guard to center, and the Saints figure to lean on the versatile blocker’s experience there for the foreseeable future. The Saints have a younger option as well in Nick Saldiveri, a 2023 fourth-round pick. The Old Dominion alum began training camp working as the first-string left guard. Patrick eventually won the job, but both Udoh and Saldiveri could be summoned if Ruiz cannot go in Week 4.
Lemieux, who became a Giants starter as a rookie, battled constant injury trouble during his final three seasons in New York. A severe foot injury sidelined the former fifth-round pick for almost all of the 2021 and ’22 seasons. Lemieux returned in 2022 but played in only one game. A biceps injury in practice last October ended Lemieux’s contract year on a familiar note. This represents another shot for a player who has played in just six games over the past three seasons.
Reed joined Brian Allen and others, ex-Colts backup Josh Sills among them, at Wednesday’s workout. Formerly the Rams’ starting center in Super Bowl LVI who worked as the team’s starter for three seasons during an injury-plagued run in Los Angeles, Allen lost his job to Coleman Shelton last season and became an offseason cap casualty. Previously given a three-year, $18MM Rams deal, Allen could not make the Browns’ 53-man roster in August.
Raiders Not Benching Gardner Minshew
SEPTEMBER 25: Pierce ended the suspense regarding his starter, declaring Wednesday that Minshew “is the quarterback.” It would have been strange for the new HC to bring forth a change so soon, but leaving the door open as he did does leave this situation unstable before September’s end.
SEPTEMBER 24: Gardner Minshew did not finish the Raiders’ Week 3 loss to the Panthers, and Antonio Pierce left the door open to benching the quarterback he went with after a months-long position battle. It does not appear Pierce is ready to pull the plug just yet.
The Raiders parked Minshew during a stunning loss, and Pierce declined to confirm postgame his starting QB plan would remain the same. Aidan O’Connell entered and completed 9 of 12 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown, coming in weeks after losing a close competition to the more experienced passer. O’Connell may well have a chance to start again, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates Minshew will remain at the controls for the Raiders in Week 4.
Although Pierce criticized certain Raider players for their effort in the team’s home defeat, Minshew is barely a week removed from leading the team to a comeback win in Baltimore. The former Jaguars and Colts starter completed 30 of 38 passes for 276 yards and a touchdown against the Ravens; a switch to O’Connell two weeks later would certainly feel premature. But a change will be a Raiders storyline to monitor, as this is a transition season that features Minshew as a placeholder.
Signed in the event the Raiders did not end up with a quarterback prospect in the draft, Minshew inked a two-year, $25MM deal. That led all non-Kirk Cousins FA quarterbacks this offseason. Minshew played effectively in helping the Colts stay in the playoff race last season, and Indianapolis currently is not enjoying the kind of stability — albeit without a high ceiling — its primary 2023 starter offered. After ranking 13th in QBR last season, Minshew sits 24th through three games.
The Raiders showed steady interest in trading up for Jayden Daniels, most likely being the only team to submit an offer to the Commanders for No. 2 overall. Las Vegas also discussed the Nos. 3-5 picks, with Pierce potentially readier to part with necessary assets in a trade-up compared to GM Tom Telesco‘s mindset. Linked to Michael Penix Jr., the Raiders were not prepared to trade up for the player the Falcons surprisingly chose at No. 8 overall. Once the Broncos drafted Bo Nix at 12, the Raiders were effectively locked out of first-round-level QBs. They then chose Brock Bowers, effectively tabling their quarterback plan to 2025.
Vegas links to the likes of Carson Beck, Shedeur Sanders and Quinn Ewers figure to emerge in the coming weeks and months, though those passers’ values have yet to crystalize. Minshew’s contract guarantees $3.16 of his $11.84MM 2025 base salary, giving the Raiders some flexibility next year. O’Connell, who started every game during Pierce’s interim HC season (after Jimmy Garoppolo‘s benching), is signed through 2026. He makes more sense as a Raiders 2025 bridge option/eventual backup compared to Minshew, who could be a trade candidate next year.
O’Connell was believed to be ahead of Minshew for several weeks this offseason, only to lose the battle due to the coaching staff’s feeling the latter option was better equipped to help this team avoid a slow start. With the Raiders at 1-2, Minshew will begin to test Pierce’s patience. The 28-year-old passer remains at the helm in Pierce’s first season as a full-time HC. The leash still appears short, as it always looked to be, but the sixth-year passer will hold off O’Connell for at least one more week.